Fairfield softball blasts Mt. Pleasant

FAIRFIELD — Balls were flying out of the park for the No. 13 (4A) Fairfield softball team on Thursday night.

After a 10-2 win over rival Mt. Pleasant in Game 1, the Trojans hit four home runs in Game 2 en route to a 14-2 victory in three innings.

“We wanted to just win two games,” said Fairfield head coach Bob Bradfield. “To hit a bunch of home runs, that's good for the kids.”

Danielle Breen got the party started in the first inning. After failing to bunt a runner over earlier in the at-bat, Breen got into a pitch to send it to deep left field for her second homer of the season.

“I was so frustrated with my bat because I didn't get the bunt down,” Breen said. “I think I just took all my anger out on the ball."

The next three homers took place in the second inning. The first was a deep ball by Hannah Simpson, her 10th of the year. It’s the first time Simpson has made it to double digits in home runs during her storied career.

Later in the second, Savannah Hollander cranked one over the fence for the first time in her career, a moment that caused quite a stir in the Trojan dugout.

“It was amazing,” Hollander said. “I've been waiting for this opportunity, and it was the best feeling ever. My teammates were so supportive about it, and that made me feel even better.”

One batter later, Coty Engle made it back-to-back shots with a solo bomb, her second of the year.

Hollander finished the game 2-for-2, leading the team with five RBIs. Simpson, Danielle Breen and Brynley Allison all had two RBIs. Engle and Delaney Breen finished with one each.

Mt. Pleasant mustered four hits against Trojan starter Laney Norris. Savana Walls was 2-for-2, and both Ella McNamee and Jersey Beachy collected a hit and an RBI.

Mt. Pleasant made the heavily-favored Trojans play all seven innings in Game 1. Payton McCabe and Emersyn Manley each had two RBIs in that game and Engle got the win on in the circle.

Jayden Housh had two hits for Mt. Pleasant in Game 1. Walls was 1-for-3 with a double.

“They've got a great pitcher in Coty Engle,” said Mt. Pleasant head coach Mike Beason. “She's an athlete, and she competes, but the kids battled tonight, and at least made her work a little bit.”

Fairfield finished conference play 15-4, good enough for second place in the standings. Mt. Pleasant went 1-19 in the SEC this year, placing them in sixth.